The Caterham Seven 160 is now available to order, priced from £14,995 for the kit version or £17,995 for a factory-built car.

The 160 is powered by an 80bhp three-cylinder Suzuki engine driven through a five-speed manual gearbox. The car weighs only 490kg, so despite the power deficit over other Sevens, acceleration is still brisk; 0-60mph takes 6.5 seconds, which is on par with the latest VW Golf GTI.

Caterham says that a novice should be able to assemble the Seven 160 in 60-70 hours, but as with the rest of the company’s range, a factory build is available for an extra £3000.

The new Seven is set up to deliver a basic, lightweight sports car experience. It has skinny 155-section tyres on 14-inch steel wheels and comes with a wind deflector as standard. If you want a proper windscreen, doors and a hood you’ll need to spend another £1250.

Other items on the options list include a carpeted interior (£115), a heater (£300), leather upholstery (£500) and a 12-volt power socket (£110).

If you order a factory-built car you’ll also need to pay £560 for tax and registration, a type approval inspection, number plates and delivery. If you build the car yourself, you’ll need to cover these costs separately.

Production of the new Caterham Seven 160 will start in January 2014, with the first customer deliveries expected in the spring.